Author's Notes: Hello! So um... I was told that the Cookie Army would come after me if I didn't update. That was scary. Really scary. I don't want to get nommed by the cookies! xD Haha, just kidding, it amused me greatly. I wanna eat those cookies. They would lull me into a sugar high induced state and probably end up producing more crack for this story.

This is kind of a short chapter. Sorry! xD I actually rewrote it a couple times because I love the song and wanted to use it. I PROMISE there will be a lot more action coming up! The chapters I'm working on have actually made me cry. Just a little. I will probably be adding another chapter right away this week to make up for my suckage. So please enjoy this! The song is "Boats and Birds" by Gregory & the Hawk.

Disclaimer: First Chapter.


If you be my boat
I'll be your sea
The depth of pure blue just to probe curiosity
Ebbing and flowing and pushed by a breeze
I live to make you free
I live to make you free

Chapter 12- Of Boats and Lace

Eva awoke to sunlight slanting through a small window. The gentle swaying around her told her she was still on the ship. Eva blinked and attempted to cover her eyes, but her body protested the action. What was she doing in here anyway?

"Finally awake are ya?" a squeaky giggle greeted her. A blue fairy danced daintily above her face, "Artie's been waiting forever~!"

"What?" Eva breathed. What kind of drug was she on? Artie…?

"C'mon lady! We don't have all day~!" a pink fairy chirped from a pile of pale blue fabric.

Eva blinked as everything came back at once. She bolted upright grabbing at the loose shirt she was wearing. The mark that had been clearly across her body was gone. Only a thin jagged scar cut across her light skin. And the shirt definitely wasn't the one from before… and the wrappings? Shit.

As if to answer her questions, the door opened. Arthur was framed by the rays of morning light as he stood in the doorway almost appearing like some sort of heavenly (pirate) angel. Almost. There was a murderous glint in his eyes. Eva didn't know what to say. His expression terrified her. And the little green mint bunny—oh gawd it had wings—on his shoulder wasn't helping her sanity.

Okay, I really need to know what drugs I'm on.

Arthur crossed the room after a long, awkward pause. Eva fought the urge to move away as he shooed the pink fairy from her nest of fabric, "You should get dressed… properly."

Eva flinched slightly as the pirate captain swept the pastel material off the table and let it flutter out and drop to the floor. A full length Victorian(ish) dress was in Arthur's hands. Did he really expect her to wear that? The offer was tempting as she eyed the frosty blue flowers; she did think it was pretty… but seriously?

"No," the word was out of her mouth before she realized it.

"You would go around in trousers and be absolutely indecent a-and im-immodest!" Arthur looked momentarily horrified. He quickly recovered and shoved the dress at her, "No, you're wearing this or you'll go around in nothing at all!"

Eva scowled at him. She took the dress as he sighed, "I don't know where you were raised, but most women wear dresses of some kind… otherwise you could say they're labeled rather low in society... if you get my meaning."

Oh Eva got it all right. If it kept the crew from spazzing out she figured she could get by until they got to wherever they were headed. Which brought up an entirely different set of questions, but she would save those for later.

"It's corset time!" a fairy chirped. Eva yelped as the malicious fairies tackled her. They were leaving no room for escape.

"Ahh! Get off!" Eva cried.

Eva caught Arthur's amused expression before he calmly took his leave, "I'll be waiting outside then…"

~*~*~
Arthur was perplexed as he stood on the deck. Honestly, any woman he knew would absolutely refuse to be caught dead in trousers. It was just unheard of. These kids are daft in the head.

There was little activity happening on deck since the night had been calm. Arthur always enjoyed these rare quiet moments. The sounds of the sea were a wonderful thing.

A high pitched cackle from inside his quarters caught his attention. Arthur frowned as he started debating if it was wise to leave Eva with the fairies. They had their devious moments…

"Hey Britain~" flying mint bunny spoke up.

"Yes?" he responded quietly.

"You have some strange people onboard," the bunny replied. His nose scrunched up in a cute way, "They smell really funny."

Arthur was amused, "I wouldn't doubt it…"

The doors to his lodgings opened and Arthur trailed off. The fairies flitted out giggling madly. With a dramatic flourish they stopped and spoke together, "Presenting the new queen of the sea~!"

Arthur's reply died on his tongue as Eva came out on deck. The fairies had put her in the pastel blue dress with a lace trim. It went astonishingly well with her large, blue eyes and her pale hair framed her face perfectly… Arthur caught himself and blinked. He cleared his throat to cover his bewilderment. It was rude to stare. And really, he shouldn't ponder such things. Right?

A sharp whistle from Katju above caught Arthur's attention. "Hey Ev~! Didn' recognize ya~!"

Eva's cheeks flushed a light pink and she looked quickly to Arthur to hide it from the other man, "Where is my brother?"

"I've had 'im placed in th' brig for the time being," Arthur answered crisply.

He wasn't surprised at all when she responded, "Take me to him."

~*~*~
Alfred looked up groggily as he heard the iron doors of his cell creak open. Escape barely crossed his mind as he came face to face with his sister. Eva!

He quickly sat up and regretted the movement as soon as he did. His body ached from earlier treatments and it didn't want to move. At all.

"Alfred don't move!" Eva knelt next to him—and oh gawd what the hell was she wearing!

"Fuckin' hell," he groaned, not knowing if he was referring to the aches and pains or the dress. It didn't look bad; just… he didn't know what to think at that moment. Screw thinking. His main concern was that she was fine.

But where's the wound..? Alfred knew she had been slashed up by a sword, but here he was, looking at Eva, who was perfectly healthy and adorable as always. Okay, she was adorable just because she was his little sister. (Shut up.)

His confusion must have shown because she shushed him quietly, "Don't worry Fedya, I am here now."

Alfred still didn't know if he liked her Russian pet name but he let it slide for now, "What… about…?" He needed to know but his mouth wasn't quite working at the speed he wanted it to.

"I am fine now… thanks to Captain Kirkland," Eva added the second part, almost like an afterthought. It wasn't weird at all.

Alfred still had qualms about trusting Arthur anymore. But if the fanatical captain had helped Eva then maybe he could reconsider. Or not. (Definitely not.)

His scattered thoughts settled as a soft tune drifted from Eva that he hadn't heard in years. He knew it because Arthur had sung it to him when he was little, and he had passed it on to her.

If you be my star, I'll be your sky
You can hide underneath me and come out at night

A slight frown hung on Arthur's lips as he sat on the wooden stairs leading outside. He didn't think Eva would be so defiant in refusing to leave her brother and now she was singing a song to him! What was Alfred, a child! Mutinous…The thought died as soon as it started though.

When I turn jet black and you show off your light
I live to let you shine
I live to let you shine

He couldn't make heads or tails of it. Stars and skies and blacks and lights… The two struck him as somewhat familiar, but he had no idea what or who he could compare them to. Arthur watched the pair from his spot on the far side of the jail as he listened. He just needed to calm down and think things through some more.

Arthur stayed in his spot long after Eva finished singing. The care in which she paid her brother twisted his heart with nostalgia. He wondered what his little brother, America, was doing at the moment. Hopefully, he wasn't throwing buffalo causing too much of a mess in the colonies. The little bugger was so naturally strong… kind of like Alfred and Eva.

The pirate captain rose from his seat and ascended the stairs. A small hum drifted from him as he crossed the deck and continued his wistful thinking of his little brother, "If you be my star… I'll be your sky…"

But you can set sail to the west if you want to
And past the horizon till I can't even see you
Far from here where the beaches are wide
Just leave me your wake to remember you by